which small monitor is the best?

[bistrobob85]

What do you guys think about it? I've been looking small monitors pics for a while now and i'm always amazed of how interesting their group interactions and behaviors are!!! Actually, these pics are very rare but stil... What do you guys think is the best small monitor ( under 24'' )??? I'm looking for something mostly desertic though if there are some tropical species which i haven't heard of, i don't really mind! The ideal small monitor i would be looking for would be kept with the maximum ratio of meat in it's diet ( i'm pretty sceptical for the feeding cricket thing... ). I have in mind something like a black headed monitor ( varanus tristis tristis ) or something else... What do you guys think?

phil.

[bistrobob85]

Don't we have any small monitor keepers/breeders in the forum?

[Double J]

I think you need some ackies!

[bistrobob85]

Isn't their diet based on insect items?

[Jeff_Favelle]

Freckleds are awesome. Red and Yellow Ackies rock! Probably my fav is glauerti, yet I don't work with them. I think pretty much ALL small Aussie Varanus RULE. Don't forget caudo's and pilber's and even storr's. Lots to choose from. Too many in fact.

[Tim and Julie B]

You can't rule out Timors although most Aussie varanid keepers turn their noses up at them (snobs :D) they are a great little monitor. TB

[crocdoc]

the downside to Timors is that almost all of the ones in the pet trade are wildcaught.

[kap10cavy]

The downside to timors is they are so skittish and spend almost all their time hiding. I vote for trist.

Scott

[bistrobob85]

As for me, i am completly in between varanus timorensis, varanus tristis tristis and varanus glauerti... Now, i am just wondering three things : 1. what is the average room needed for a captive monitor of that size???. 2. which one of these three eat less insects than the other??? 3. how much do they go for???

phil.

[Steve]

I have a male argerntine black and white tegu. I think these are awesome. Females get a bit smaller. A large argentine BW tegu would be roughly 4 feet. My male is adult at 3 so a female maybe 2-2.5 being closer to 2.5. I have 2 adult females coming in this week that I hope to be breeding soon. They eat a variety of food(my enclsoure is not crix proof so I try to feed the least possible). I feed mine rats, mice, chicken, any other meat, veggies, fruits roaches and super worms. It loves snakes of fruits especially bananas. To get him interested in veggies I mix them with hard boiled eggs. My tegu will eat anything offered at all.
Argentine BW tegus generally are also extremely active and friendly from all the research I have done, and mine is a good example of it as he is friendlier then my dog. They can also be housed in a wide temperature gradient therefor you don't need as high of a wattage bulb to heat them(althought my hot end is 120degrees and my cold is 75). If you want more detailed info on them let me know and I can email you some. I am hoping to have some babies available within the next year and am located in quebec also. This is definetly my favorite monitor LIKE reptile(tegus aren't actually monitors) and my favorite lizard I have kept so far.

[Jeff_Favelle]

male argerntine black and white monitor

???

[bistrobob85]

Yeah, tegus aren't monitors... Its good to get some breeders in Québec but what i'm looking for are the smaller kinds of monitors...

[misslexy]

get a sav' they are a great beginner to get!
my brother has had one since it was like the size of his hand. they only eat crickets when they are small, then they go onto mice and rats - and anything else that moves that they can fit into their mouth:)...frogs are great fun!:P

[Steve]

Sorry
I should have said MALE ARGENTINE BLACK AND WHITE TEGU
sorry for the mix up, was very tired at the time of above post

[bistrobob85]

Well i already have a savannah and it eats like crazy! I actually at all the rats i had kept for my snakes in the winter... I would like a monitor which would eat less than a jumbo savannah!!! Mine is 30'' long and only a year and a half old...

[bistrobob85]

Noooooo! I want them ALL!

Varanus tristis tristis
varanus glauerti
varanus timorensis
Varanus Doreanus
Varanus Finschi
Varansu Boehmei
Varanus Panoptes or varanus gouldii

What is to be done?!?! Hehe, i would defenetly like one reaching something like 2.5-3 feet, easily kept, with the highest % of meat in its diet... I would keep it in a 4'x2' tank, which one would it be?!?!?

[crocdoc]

that's easy, the 4x2 tank is the deciding factor. V timorensis, maybe V glauerti